"We are all the Marquis's people, there's no need to be so reserved. Feel free to come and keep me company when you have free time," Madam Qin said again. "Don't always hide from me, as if I were some man-eating monster."
Ru Yan suppressed her inner fear. Madam Qin had never been so kind to her before. When things are out of the ordinary, there's usually a reason, and she was afraid.
"I am not hiding from Madam, I merely respect her," Ru Yan said cautiously.
Madam Qin smiled dismissively. "Madam Qin, why didn't I notice Ru Yan's sweet tongue before?"
"I am speaking from the heart," Ru Yan quickly added.
She feared Madam Qin, but she feared Madam Qin more. Why? Because when something needed to be done, it was Madam Qin who carried it out. Madam Qin was the one she directly interacted with, and Madam Qin's actions had already left a shadow in her heart.
Madam Qin smiled. "Alright, alright, look at how nervous you are. If I keep you any longer, you won't be able to sleep tonight. I won't keep you. Hurry back."
Emerging from Madam Qin's courtyard, Ru Yan let out a long sigh. It seemed the rear courtyard of the Marquis's mansion was about to become unsettled. Although Madam Qin appeared indifferent, she was clearly nervous. Otherwise, she probably wouldn't have even been allowed into her courtyard today. Not only did she get in, but she also received a hairpin that looked quite valuable. Even if she were foolish, she could tell that Madam Qin was trying to win her over.
Was that Madam Yun truly that formidable?
Ru Yan was now somewhat curious about what kind of person Madam Yun was.
The Duke of Protectorate's Mansion.
"Mother, have you thought about what I mentioned yesterday?" Gu Sinian asked Madam Qin.
Madam Qin couldn't understand what Gu Sinian was thinking. Just a few days ago, he had been adamant about how much he liked a certain girl, and yesterday he was asking her to propose marriage to the Changping Marquis's mansion, to the Marquis's legitimate daughter, Qi Mingzhu.
Although the Changping Marquis's mansion was not as prominent as the Duke of Protectorate's mansion, the Marquis of Changping was highly favored by the Emperor. His legitimate daughter's status was indeed a good match for Anian.
"I haven't seen your father. Regardless, he is your father, and such an important matter must be known to him," Madam Qin said. "Anian, Mother wants to ask you, why did you suddenly change your mind?"
"My mind has never changed," Gu Sinian said earnestly.
His words made Madam Qin even more puzzled. "Didn't you like a country girl before? How did it become the legitimate daughter of the Changping Marquis's mansion? Marriage is a lifelong matter. If you are so hasty, what if you regret it later?"
Gu Sinian pursed his lips and smiled. "Mother, would your son regret something he has decided? Just propose as I told you!"
Madam Qin couldn't get any more information, so she had to give up. "I'll go visit your grandmother in a moment. We can't keep her in the dark, and besides, your father rarely visits, but he always pays his respects to your grandmother when he has free time. Let your grandmother inform him."
Gu Sinian nodded. "Thank you for all this, Mother."
"It's only right for Mother to worry about these things for you, it's not a bother at all. You've been out of sight for the past few days, have you been busy with official duties?" Madam Qin asked.
"The Emperor assigned me some matters, so I've been a bit busy," Gu Sinian replied. "Once this period passes, things will be much more relaxed. Then I'll accompany you to stay at the manor. The imperial physician said that your body cannot just rest; moving around more is also good."
"Okay, I'll listen to you."
After Gu Sinian left, Madam Qin tidied herself up and, supported by Madam Li, headed to Yannian Courtyard.
"Tingxue is here," Madam Lan said, quite pleased to see Madam Qin. "Come, sit here."
Madam Qin sat beside Madam Lan as requested and directly stated her purpose.
"The legitimate daughter of the Changping Marquis's mansion? Her status is acceptable, but what about her temperament? Tingxue, Mother tells you, when marrying a daughter-in-law, the most important thing is her temperament. If you marry a daughter-in-law with a bad temper, you'll have your hands full. That's not right. Earlier, you said Anian fancied a country girl? How did it suddenly become the legitimate daughter of the Changping Marquis's mansion? Marriage is a major event, how can it be so frivolous?" Madam Lan frowned. "The Changping Marquis's family, did you choose her, or did Anian choose her? What is Anian's attitude now?"
Madam Qin herself didn't know what her son was up to, but she trusted her son wouldn't act recklessly. However, explaining it to Madam Lan would be difficult.
After a long discussion, Madam Lan concluded that Madam Qin was orchestrating everything and even became angry with Madam Qin.
Having been in-laws for so many years, they had always been on good terms. This was the first time Madam Qin had seen her mother-in-law angry, and she felt a bit helpless.
Madam Li, being resourceful, saw Madam Lan's displeased expression and quietly sent someone to fetch Gu Sinian.
"Grandmother, please calm down. This was not Mother's idea, it was mine. You were not satisfied with the girl I fancied before, so I had no choice but to choose someone else," Gu Sinian said with a smile. "Does Grandmother perhaps look down on the young lady from the Changping Marquis's mansion?"
Madam Lan was stunned. "Anian, are you telling the truth?"
"Naturally, it's true."
Madam Lan's expression was complex. "Then why didn't you fancy Miaoniang? I think no girl in the capital is as good as Miaoniang."
"This grandson really can't explain it. Perhaps the matchmaker didn't tie our threads," Gu Sinian said, half-truthfully, his gaze sweeping past the screen. Who else could be the shadowy figure hiding behind it but Xu Miaoniang? Fine. If she were truly a good person, why would she be hiding there? Moreover, he had already made his intentions clear long ago. He didn't believe Xu Miaoniang was unaware of this. To still be clinging to her grandmother and feigning pity showed how deep her schemes ran.
"All of you leave. Since you both have your minds made up, why bother me, an old woman? I will inform Changwei." Madam Lan's expression suddenly dimmed, and she listlessly dismissed them.
Gu Sinian helped Madam Qin out of Yannian Courtyard.
Xu Miaoniang emerged from behind the screen and obediently began to massage Madam Lan's shoulders. "Old Madam, the Heir Apparent is right, marriage is fated. Please don't be troubled."
"I insisted on bringing you back precisely to have you as my granddaughter-in-law, and now... alas!" Madam Lan sighed heavily. "Don't worry, I will find a good family for you, a family better than Anian's."
Xu Miaoniang's cheeks flushed. "Old Madam, please don't trouble yourself. Before I came to your side, I had already decided not to marry in this lifetime. I want to inherit my grandfather's legacy and carry on his medical skills. If I were married, would my husband's family allow a woman to be seen in public?"
"I am old, and I don't have many years left. You have no relatives. When I'm gone, you'll be all alone and lonely," Madam Lan shook her head. "I must arrange things for you! You don't have to personally practice your grandfather's medical skills; you can train disciples or compile his knowledge into books. You are not allowed to speak of not marrying again!"